Thoughts on .300wsm for an all around hunting cartridge?

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Aabradsh

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Hey guys

I hunt deer every year in eastern Ontario and have recently been offered a chance to join a moose camp up north for next fall. I’m also planning a western elk hunt in the next couple years. I currently do all my deer hunting with a .308, but am considering moving up to something with a little more snap to it.

I’ve shot 7mm mags, 300wm, and 300wsm before and actually found the 300wsm seemed more pleasant to shoot than the first two and, on paper, seems about on par with the 300wm and a little snappier than the 7mm.

Id like to keep things to one main hunting rifle, for the sake of familiarity, hand loading simplicity, and space in the gun safe. What are your thoughts on a Browning X-bolt stainless stalker, in 300wsm as an all-round big game rifle?
 
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By no means am I an expert on the topic but I went with 300 win mag. Similar cost, you're splitting hairs a bit but in my experience 300 win mag is a bit more common, more stores have 300 win mag in stock with a better variety of loads then 300 wsm. Your mileage may vary.
 
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The WSM's are all under rated. I've got a Savage model 16 .325 wsm and I'm frankly in love. 160 gr pills at 3350fps for deer and smaller stuff, 220 gr at 2900fps for anything on the continent. I also has a .270 wsm, and was loading 150gr to over 3300 fps. Flat shooting and hard hitting. I don't see why the .300 wsm would be different.
 
Present rifle to shoot has more to do with the fit that the cartridge you are shooting. Comb height, length of pull, scope height. The fit of the recoil pad, a harder one but fits right can be nicer than a softer one that's wrong for you. With some very minor inherent tendencies accuracy has very little to do with cartridge or caliber.

I know close to a dozen guys the have used a 308 for years as their do all moose, bear rifle. Have used 308 3006 and currently a 300wsm, get what fits. The other thing I find with reloaders is trying to make something in to more than it already is. I'm currently pushing a165 at only 3000 fps, it almost shoots clover leafs at 100yds. Don't need anything more than that and the last dozen moose haven't complained.
 
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The only friend I know that shoots .300wsm just sold it and bought a 7mm Rem mag. He always had a hard time getting ammo for it, he doesn’t handload though. I expect if you have components already you’ll be fine if it’s just a hunting rifle.
 
I would say that if you are already handloading then the 300WSM is an excellent choice.

I shoot a lot of different rifles and have a 7mmRM 300WM and 325WSM for the 'do everything' rifles

a 300WSM once you have brass is easy to reload for and .308" components will always be available
 
I’d have no problem with the 300 WSM as an all rounder, at least for North America. That probably has more to do with the classy little Kimber Select Grade than the cartridge; but be that as it may it doesn’t give up that much to the bigger 30s. You don’t buy a Kimber to shoot 1000 yards anyway. I’ve got a good arm full of 300 Wins too, and a Weatherby or two and my RUM until I shot it out. I’m not going say they’re all the same, but much of the time it doesn’t make much difference. The Win is definitely the easy way to go about it, but if you want a short action you’re back to the WSM.

The performance difference between the bg 30s can be absorbed by the difference between individual barrels and loads, but comparing a .308 Win to any of them is a bit of a joke. Anything my 308s will do with a 180 at muzzle, the baby WSM will do at 230 to 240 yards with the same bullet, and with the bigger brothers make that 300 plus.
 
I might not go with the Browning, but the .300 WSM is a very good "all around" cartridge choice.
 
Hoytcann, any ideas over the X-bolt? I’d compare them most closely to a Tikka T3x, but I find the Brownings are a little better for felt recoil. I’ve shot some magnums in an X-bolt and found them manageable, but my buddy’s Tikka .30-06 is a shoulder pounder.
 
Aabradsh said:
Hoytcann, any ideas over the X-bolt? I’d compare them most closely to a Tikka T3x, but I find the Brownings are a little better for felt recoil. I’ve shot some magnums in an X-bolt and found them manageable, but my buddy’s Tikka .30-06 is a shoulder pounder.
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I would say that first hand experience is the best experience. Our bodies are all different and we each appreciate different ergonomics and features... if you have tried both and prefer the Browning to the Tikka, then that eliminates Tikka. Personally, once I found the Ruger M77 Mark II it fit me like a glove, everything about the fit and feel and features work for me, I also like the M70 Supergrade alot, whereas the Browning and Sako's and Weatherby's (for the most part) do not fit me nearly as well or feel quite as right. Handling models at a gunshop is a first step, but if you get the chance to shoot the models at the range that will quickly answer your question.
 
The 300 WSM will reach out a bit beyond the 30-06 and it hits with authority. As mentioned the recoil is a tad less then a 300 WM. It's still worth getting a decent recoil pad on it. It your reloading that's a bonus.
 
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